Machine for electric welding of feet onto dial plates, markings, and the like



J. SCHNEIDER ET AL 2,465,609 MACHINE FOR ELECTRIC WELDING OF FEET ONTO March 29, 1949.

DIAL PLATES, MARKINGS AND THE LIKE Filed July 31, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet l Z2126 fi 5&5106 z/cicifl MACHINE FOR. ELECTRIC WELDING OF FEET ONTO March 1949- J. SCHNEIDER ETAL DIAL PLATES MARKINGS AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 31, 1946 fig-i IIIIIIIIIIII' Patented Mar. 29, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT ()IFEICE LIKE Jules Schneider and Hans Schneider, La Chaux de Fonds, Switzerland Application Jinly 31, 1946, Serial No. 587,314 In Switzerland August 8, 1945 3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to the machines for electric welding of feet onto dial plates, markings or the like and more particularly to a machine of this kind comprising a table for holding dial plates, markings or the like and at least two percussion electrodes having means for holding the feet to be welded onto the dial plate, and an electric circuit including at least one condenser to energize each electrode.

An important feature of the invention resides in that the dial holding table is mounted on a block slidingly-mounted on a guide member for movements in the same direction as the percussion electrodes and that the clamping dogs for the dial plate are operated for releasing movements by a general control lever simultaneously controlling the displacement of the table between its rest and working positions.

The annexed drawings represent by way of example one embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a partial elevation view on enlarged scale in the direction of the arrow II of Fig. 1.

Figs. 3a and 3b are fragmentary longitudinal sectional views on enlarged scale of a percussion electrode.

The machine represented in the drawings is intended for welding two feet I onto a dial plate 2. The latter is clamped on a table 4 by two clamping dogs 5. The table 4 is secured to a sliding block I slidably mounted on a guide member 30 secured to a central back column 3a of the machine frame 3. This frame further comprises two lateral front columns 3b on which are mounted two transverse sliding blocks 2 with their micrometric control knobs i3 and set screws Mia. These sliding blocks are slidingly mounted in a guide member [2a secured to a turret 9a which may be locked in the desired angular position by means of a clamping lever Ii.

At their adjacent extremities, the sliding looks it the rod of a l i (see Fig. 3) insulated electrically from the mass of the machine and at the top of which is arranged a cylindrical chuck Ma adapted to hold a foot I to be welded onto the dial plate 2. This rod is hollow on its whole length, to let through a control needle I5 of the chuck E ia ensuring its automatic release as soon as a fork it engages a milled nut 36 operatively connected with the needle as it is being lowered.

The rods M carry a percussion spring i8 bearing on one side upon a ring l9 secured to the rod, and on the other side upon an adjustable stop 20 permitting to adjust its percussing streingth.

The rods M are insulated from the mass of the machine and connected by a flexible conductor, not shown, to the electric circuit of the machine. This circuit, not shown, comprises two variable condensers and two control keys enabling to connect these condensers either with a current supply or with the percussion electrodes.

The rods Hi further comprise a stop ring 24 cooperating with the spring-urged armature 25 or" an electro-magnet 2% for retaining the percussion electrodes in their initial position as long as the electro-magnet does not receive any current.

The forks it for releasing the chucks Ila are controlled either by a milled knob lfia or by a general control lever 22 which actuates through a cam 22a, two intermediate levers 22b and two links 220. Two restoring springs 22) act on the levers 22b in opposite direction to the cam.

The general control lever 22 is also connected through a link 22d with a bell crank 22a controlling the longitudinal movement of the sliding block of the table t along the guide member 3c. The working position of the table is adjustable by means of a micrometric stop screw 4a and the table may be fixed in the chosen position by a set screw 41).

The clamping dogs 5 holding the dial plate on the table are each secured to a shaft 5a rotatably mounted in the sliding block 1. These shafts are urged against a stop Ed on the guide member 30 by a restoring spring 3e fixed at its one end to the said guide member and at its other end to the shaft to. These shafts 5a further comprise a sector 5b with a helicoidal groove 5c in which engages a finger la secured to the sliding block I.

The table d is provided with a threaded ring to enabling to screw on a plate having a recess in the shape of the dial plate.

The table 3 moves with its sliding block in the same direction as the percussion electrodes.

The machine operates as follows:

One places the dial plate on the table 4, then the general control lever 22 is lowered. The sliding block i is lowered by the link 22d and the bell crank 22c, and the dogs 5 are first rotated so as to come over the dial plate owing to the action of the finger "Ea engaging the groove 50; the dial plate is then pressed under the dogs at a pressure which increases as the sliding block 1 comes nearer to its working position in which the dial plate is firmly pressed against the table owing to the action of the restoring springs 3e.

Previously a foot has been placed into each one of the chucks l ia; these chucks have been closed when lowering the lever 22 owing to the action of the cam 22a, levers 22b, links 220 and forks I6 which have lowered the control needle I of each one of the chucks.

It suifices then to press the keys of the electric circuit so as to release the percussion electrodes which press the feet against the dial plate where the discharge spark of the condensers welds them instantaneously.

The operator then raises up again the lever 22 whereby the chucks I la are loosened, the sliding block is raised again into its initial posi tion of rest and the dogs are drawn apart from each other by rotation after they have been removed from the dial plate.

One then removes the dial plate from its holder and places the following dial plate thereon. The cycle is repeated as described.

As an alternative the general control lever 22 may be actuated electrically.

What we claim is:

1. In a machine for electric Welding feet to dial plates, markings and the like, a frame, a first guide member on said frame, a first block slidingly mounted on said first guide member, a table secured to said first sliding block for positioning the dial plate, clamping dogs slidingly and rotatably mounted in said first sliding block for clamping said dial plate on said table, at least two turrets revolvably mounted on said frame, second guide members secured to said turrets, second blocks slidingly mounted on said second guide members, spring urged percussion electrodes slidingly mounted in said second sliding blocks for movement in the same direction as said first sliding block, releasable means on said electrodes for holding feet to be welded, and a general control lever simultaneously controlling both the sliding movements of said first sliding block to and from its working position and the clamping and releasing movements of said clamping dogs.

2. In a machine for electric welding feet to dial plates, marking and the like, a frame, a first guide member on said frame, a first block slidingly mounted on said first guide member, a table secured to said first sliding block for positioning the dial plate, clamping dogs slidingly and rotatably mounted in said first sliding block for clamping said dial plate on said table, at least two turrets revolvably mounted on said frame, second guide members secured to said turrets, second blocks slidingly mounted on said second guide members, spring-urged percussion electrodes slidingly mounted in said second sliding blocks for movement in the same direction as said first sliding block, releasable chucks on said electrodes for holding feet to be welded, and a general control lever simultaneously controlling on the one hand both the sliding movements of said first sliding block to and from its working position and the clamping and releasing movements of said clamping dogs, and on the other hand, the clamping and releasing movements of said chucks.

3. In a machine of the character described as claimed in claim 2 the feature residing in that the clamping dogs are provided with a shaft slidingly and rotatably mounted in the first sliding block, said shaft having a helicoidal groove in which engages a finger secured to said first sliding block, whereby said dogs are rotated for clamping or releasing the dial plate upon sliding displacement of said first sliding block.

JULES SCHNEIDER. HANS SCHNEIDER.

"tEiFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Jorgensen Apr. 1, 1930 Number 

